Utah quarterback Cam Rising evades a deal with in the course of the Pac-12 championship sport in opposition to Oregon at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. The Utes enter the 2022 season ranked No. 7 within the AP ballot; the query is, the place will they end the yr? Spenser Heaps, Deseret Information
Utah earned its highest preseason rating this month when it debuted at No. 7 in The Related Press ballot.
Nevertheless it’s not about the place you begin, it’s about the place you end.
The place will the Utes find yourself in 2022?
Utah opens the season with a sport Sept. 3 at Florida of the SEC and will face No. 14 USC on Oct. 15 and No. 11 Oregon on Nov. 19.
Will No. 7 be fortunate this season for the Utes?
Over the previous 15 years, how have groups that ranked No. 7 within the preseason ballot fared?
Effectively, the final two groups that have been ranked No. 7 within the preseason, in 2020 and 2021 (Iowa State and Penn State), completed unranked.
From 2009 to 2019, each workforce that started off No. 7 completed the season ranked.
Seven instances, these groups completed within the prime 10 — 2018 (Oklahoma No. 4), 2017 (Oklahoma No. 3), 2016 (Michigan No. 10), 2014 (UCLA No. 10), 2012 (Florida State No. 10), 2011 (Stanford No. 7), and 2010 (Oklahoma No. 6).
Time will inform the place Utah, which is the defending Pac-12 champion, will end the season.
The place groups ranked No. 7 in AP preseason ballot completed
Yr — Preseason No. 7 — Closing rating
2022 — Utah — TBD
2021 — Iowa State — Unranked
2020 — Penn State — Unranked
2019 — Michigan — No. 18
2018 — Oklahoma — No. 4
2017 — Oklahoma — No. 3
2016 — Michigan — No. 10
2015 — Oregon — No. 19
2014 — UCLA — No. 10
2013 — Texas A&M — No. 18
2012 — Florida State — No. 10
2011 — Stanford — No. 7
2010 — Oklahoma — No. 6
2009 — Virginia Tech — No. 12
2008 — Louisiana State — Unranked
2007 — Wisconsin — No. 18